


A Game of Chess

by lonlygnome



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Gen, Pre-Slash, if you want it to be, simple banter and a game of chess, tumblr drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-28
Updated: 2014-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-10 07:59:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1157083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonlygnome/pseuds/lonlygnome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exactly what it stays on the tin</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Game of Chess

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own Trek, simply raveling in the beauty of the characters.
> 
> Written for the prompt: Join Me [ Spock and Bones, their first game of chess. ]

"Doctor."

McCoy looks up from his desk then slowly stands. "Ah, Spock! What can I do for you?"

"You are aware that the Captain and I partake in chess some days of the week."

"Course I am! Now get to your point. I've got work I should be doin'!"

"It would appear he is unable to participate for the time being."

That caused McCoy's eyebrows to raise slightly. He'd heard nothing from the man about an inconvenience that would lead him to drop his game with the Vulcan.

"It would appear that is news to you. I do not wish to cause you worry. Rather, I wish to inquire if you would be free for a game later this evening."

McCoy stares at him for a moment, trying to process what he's just heard. Him? A game of chess with the Vulcan? Inconceivable.

"By golly Spock! I can't decide if I should be honored or not! You askin' me just so you can actually win for once? Didn't think you had it in you to be quiet so heartless."

"That was not my intention Doctor. Rather, though you may possess simply a rudimentary understanding of the games strategy, I believe you may prove a formidable opponent."

"Color me surprised, I think you just complemented my intellect," said the Doctor setting his PADD a top his desk and walking towards the doors to his office, "I see someone's upgraded your programming."

"Doctor! I do not believe either of us have the time for your illogical emotional responses. A simple yes or no would suffice."

"Alright, alright," McCoy mutters under his breath, turning back to face Spock for a moment just outside his office, "Yes, I shall do it you hobgoblin."

As the Doctor turns and walks away with further mutterings under his breath Spock lets out a soft sigh. It is illogical he wish to spend further time in the company of the man. Yet he also is incapable of disproving his previous statement. It would in the least provide further information about the man, who seemed to live to raise conundrums.

\-------------------

“Well would you look at that.”

Spock looked through the set and examined the Doctor, following his line of sight to one of the levels of the board.

“There does not appear to be anything worthy of such a statement in your area of examination.”

Seeing the doctor chuckle softly and shake his head Spock’s confusion rose slightly.

“I do not believe I understand Doctor.”

“Dammit Spock! I’m trying to congratulate you on a game well played.”

Spock raised an eyebrow and returned his attention the board. The silence stretched on for a few moments before Spock looked back up at the man. “It is not over yet.”

“You might want to reconsider that,” replied the man, leaning back into his chair with a grin.

Spock steepled his fingers in front of him and returned to examining the board, attempting to calculate how the Doctor claimed to have one.

“I believe we shall still have to play it out,” though now he was focusing more on attempting to decipher this strategy that would when his opponent the game.

The man continued to befuddle Spock as they played, as he gained an upper hand, then the advantage grew beyond a recoverable loss.

“You knew you had lost.” Spock set his queen down and didn’t raise his eyes from the board. He was still a few moves from winning, wishing to gain check mate in as few moves as possible.

“Finally catch onto that did you?” McCoy asks with a quirk of his eyebrow and a sigh as he settled for making the best of his poor options. “Was hopin’ you’d spend so much time tryin’ to figure out my strategy you’d lose your own.”

As Spock slipped around the side and removed the Doctor’s last knight he pursed a lip slightly. “I must admit, it is an interesting strategy.”

“Didn’t I say somethin’ about teaching you poker Spock? Callin’ the bluff’s a mighty fine tool to have on hand.”

They played in silence until Spock settled his rook in the final position for check mate. Examining the board McCoy nodded slightly, mostly to himself. He’d known that was coming, and despite the use of the Vulcan’s word he found the strategy quiet fascinating.

“I do believe,” Spock’s words drew his attention back to the present and McCoy looked up, setting an empty glass to the side, “That this game of poker would be acceptable if you wished to spend another evening in my company Doctor.”

McCoy stared at Spock in surprise for a moment, the man was offering to spend more time then strictly necessary? He’s not sure he could be more surprised. Instead of responding he stood up and shook his head in amusement.

“Thought Vulcan’s cannot lie,” he said as a parting shot as he headed out of the rec room. Of course he will, he hasn’t felt that good about a game of chess in years.

“Interesting…” murmured Spock as he watched the Doctor’s retreating back, rolling a piece over in his hand. His time under the Captain had taught him well the implications of a challenge, though he was not so accustomed to hearing them in such a manner from the Doctor.

 _“I shall see to when we are available again,”_ he thought to himself, turning back to the board and setting it up for another game.

He found the computer a much less engaging of an opponent so recently after having played the Doctor.


End file.
